Hyde Name Origins.

The name "HYDE" is derived from the hide, a measure of land for taxation purposes, taken to be that area of land necessary to support a peasant family. In later times it was taken to be equivalent to 120 acres .

March 2014

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Sunday, 26 June 2011

Arch In Stone Work = Puzzle

I asked if anyone had pictures of the reservoirs and the area around them... Eric Downs sent in two pictures one of which is shown above... both his pictures have been used in an other post. The above picture got mine and Paul's attention as you can clearly see a Arch in the Stone Work...

This is how it looks now

The Arch is across from the properties above.... so if you are in the area glance across and spot the Arch.

Above is a section of a 1875 map. Both reservoirs are shown and so are the cottages called Diamond Row. Underneath where it says Cloughgate is a wiggly line... that is the stream which run through Gower Hay Woods. Paul and I wonder if the arch was a 'run off' of the reservoir that was culverted under Acorn Lane ( Stockport Road ) towards join the stream.

The 1910 map above shows the area went through some changes from the 1875 on... King Edward Road as now been started, Acorn Lane as now been renamed Stockport Road. Paul and I would just like to know if anyone can shed some light on what the Arch was for.

Updated by Dave Williams

28th June 2011

Close Up Of The Arch

I've attached here a close-up photo I took of the arch yestoday, and also a part of the 1871 map showing the 'wiggly line' which you mentioned and which leads to - is that another reservoir or just a pond? It appears to be in that part of Gower Hey Wood which you drop into from the end of King George Road - not the bit that always used to get flooded, that's a lot nearer the old railway line.

I went along today to try to see if the arch could be seen from the other side of the wall, but the grassed area comes up to the top of the wall, so I couldn't tell - and I hadn't taken a spade with me! I'm inclined to go along with the horse trough theory, but I can't find any reference to it anywhere. I'll keep looking in The History of Hyde though. That book does have something to say about the reservoirs:'Waterworks were established in Hyde by Thomas Mottram, gentleman, the descendant of an old yeoman family of the township, who, in 1831, obtained an Act of Parliament "for the better supply of water to the several townships of Hyde, Werneth and Newton," and under the powers of that Act constructed the Gee Cross reservoir, Tinker's reservoir, New reservoir, and Arnold Hill reservoir - the first three of these being since known as "Queen's," "Stonepit," and "Diamond Row" reservoirs.'I had noticed the Acorn Villa plaque previously, Gerald, and there's another plaque on the row of terraced houses further along towards the junction with Mottram Old Road which says simply 'Acorn Hill'.

The water trough idea seems likely, but as Dave says it is not likely to be documented anywhere, unless someone can come up with an old picture of the area.I have checked through my picture archive without success. The only one I came across was an procession past the reservoir around the 1920-30's, when the wall was much higher, also noticable on the "Big Tree" photo's. The only other possibility if it wasn't a culvert for the Diamond reservoir was a well. There were many wells around the Gee Cross area, most of them long since gone.

'Well' did cross my mind too, but they're usually marked on maps and this one isn't marked on any of the maps I've seen of the reservoir. By the way, Tom, I've just noticed on the map of 1871 which I emailed to you, in the bottom right-hand corner on what appears to be Mottram Old Road it shows 'watering trough' (and also 'well' on the other side of the road) so that might shoot that theory down also.

Nice update Dave...I noticed the well and water trough, and two other wells around by Walkerfold. What I'm wondering is the wells that are mentioned on maps are wells that would most likely be 'natural wells', maybe the one on Diamond Reservoir was not a natural well.. and was never put on the maps. Gower Hay Reservoir I have heard of before but like you Dave I just took it to be lower down.. On the Cheshire Tithe Map ( 1836-51) it shows two streams that join just before where the reservoir was later built. The larger of the two streams seems to be starting where Ralph Fold was.

When we moved to Gee Cross in 1981 (before the reservoir was filled in) the arch was a feature in the high wall, and was much taller. I have a half memory of water running through and the broken remains of a part submerged horse trough. I always assumed it was from one of the many streams that filled the reservoir.

When workmen rebuilt the wall they put back the top part of the archway and this is what is now seen.

After the reservoir was filled in there were constant problems of flooding from the area of the arch over the pavement and onto the road until finally workmen came and (I assume) culverted the stream.

Though the spring/well is not shown on old maps my belief is that this was the Diamond Row Well

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A place of interest for Hydonians.

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Tom, Dave, Paul and I would like to say thank you to everyone for contributing to this blog in some small way - even if that means just reading it! It's been more of a success than we could ever have dreamt of and that's all down to you ! It was our intention to get Hyde "on the record" as it were and it seems to be heading in the right direction. We are very proud of Hyde and would like it's history to live on!